Scripture: Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 Lesson Plans that Work Year A Season after Pentecost, Proper 11 Gospel Lesson for Younger Children In this season after Pentecost, we hear stories of Jesus ministry in the world and our call to engage in that mission. This season is also known as Ordinary Time coming from the word ordinal which means counted time. This time is not ordinary as in common or regular, but it is the time of counted weeks between Pentecost and Advent. The color for this season is green and it is often referred to as the green growing time as we hear stories of what God is calling us to do in the world, we join in that call, and we grow in our faith. A Notation for This Week s Gospel and Reading Jesus continues to engage in parables as he explores what the kingdom of God is like. The Gospel lesson for today focuses on the empire vs. God. The key message is that we are not to be the ones judging, but that it is God s judgment in the end that matters. We are to let things grow as they will and God will sort it out in the end. In our lesson today we will focus on the first part of the Gospel lesson and let the children engage in thinking about what it means rather than listening to Jesus explanation that was given to the disciples. You can understand Jesus point without having to get into end-times language. Theme: Wheat and Weeds Before Class: You will need pictures of wheat and weeds. There are some at the end of this lesson, but you can also search the internet for them. You will need paper and art supplies. Beginning: Invite the children to gather in a circle. Ask them if any of them have ever gardened or pulled weeds before. Is it easy or hard? Do all weeds look like weeds? Opening Prayer: Loving God, we ask you to be with us as we explore what your words mean for our lives. Guide us as we seek to understand your parable today. Amen. The Scripture: Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 Jesus told this story. The kingdom of God is like a farmer who planted good seed in the field. At night, while all were asleep, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat and then left before anyone saw him. When the first plants started to appear and take shape, the weeds grew too. The farmer s helpers asked the farmer where the weeds came from and the farmer said, Some enemy did this. The helpers asked, Should we remove the weeds? The farmer said, No, if we remove the weeds, you will pull the good wheat too. Let them grow together until it is time for harvest. Then, when we are harvesting, we will separate the wheat from the weeds. We will separate the good from bad. We will keep the wheat, and burn the weeds. Questions: I wonder what you think about this Gospel? What questions does it make you ask? I wonder what Jesus means by the wheat? I wonder what Jesus means by the weeds?
Activity: Show the children the pictures of the wheat and the weeds. Can they tell the difference? Invite them to look at how similar they look. Do they think they could tell the difference if they were all growing in a field together? Invite the children to think about times when they have had both good and bad happening in their lives at the same time. Maybe they have: made a new friend, but the old friends are jealous gotten a new bike, but miss the old one found themselves excited about something and at the same time scared. Life is often complicated and it is only for God to help us figure out. Only God knows what is wheat and what isn t. Invite them to create a picture, chart, drawing, or list about those complicated things in their lives. What might be the wheat? What might be a weed? Invite them to list anything they want to lift up to God in prayer. Getting Closure: Invite them to share what they created. Closing Prayer: Loving God, help us understand your words and parables so that we may understand you better. Guide our ears, eyes, mouth, hands, and feet that we may engage in your mission in the world. Amen. Weeds Wheat Written by The Rev. Shannon Kelly Printed by the Office for Formation and Vocation Ministries of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society, 815 Second Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10017. 2014 The Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America. All rights reserved.
Scripture: Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 Lesson Plans that Work Year A Season after Pentecost, Proper 11 Gospel Lesson for Older Children In this season after Pentecost, we hear stories of Jesus ministry in the world and our call to engage in that mission. This season is also known as Ordinary Time coming from the word ordinal which means counted time. This time is not ordinary as in common or regular, but it is the time of counted weeks between Pentecost and Advent. The color for this season is green and it is often referred to as the green growing time as we hear stories of what God is calling us to do in the world, we join in that call, and we grow in our faith. A Notation for This Week s Gospel and Reading Jesus continues to engage in parables as he explores what the kingdom of God is like. The Gospel lesson for today focuses on the empire vs. God. The key message is that we are not to be the ones judging, but that it is God s judgment in the end that matters. We are to let things grow as they will and God will sort it out in the end. In our lesson today we will focus on the first part of the Gospel lesson and let the children engage in thinking about what it means rather than listening to Jesus explanation that was given to the disciples. You can understand Jesus point without having to get into end-times language. Theme: Wheat and Weeds Before Class: You will need pictures of wheat and weeds. There are some at the end of this lesson, but you can also search the internet for them. You will need paper and art supplies for the activity time. Beginning: Invite the children to gather in a circle. Ask them if any of them have ever gardened or pulled weeds before. Is it easy or hard? Do all weeds look like weeds? Opening Prayer: Loving God, we ask you to be with us as we explore what your words mean for our lives. Guide us as we seek to understand your parable today. Amen. The Scripture: Matthew 13:24-30, [36-43] You will need two readers, the first to read 24-27, the second to read 28-30. Questions: I wonder what you think about this Gospel? What questions does it make you ask? I wonder what Jesus means by the wheat? Who or what might he be talking about? I wonder what Jesus means by the weeds? Who or what might he be talking about? I wonder if weeds can be as beautiful as other plants?
Activity: Show the children the pictures of the wheat and the weeds. Can they tell the difference? Invite them to look at how similar they look. Do they think they could tell the difference if they were all growing in a field together? Invite the children to think about times when they have had both good and bad happening in their lives at the same time. Maybe they have: made a new friend, but the old friends are jealous gotten a new bike, but miss the old one found themselves excited about something and at the same time scared. Life is often complicated and it is only for God to help us figure out. Only God knows what is wheat and what isn t. Invite them to create a picture, chart, drawing, or list about those complicated things in their lives. What might be the wheat? What might be a weed? Invite them to list anything they want to lift up to God in prayer. Getting Closure: Invite them to share what they created and what they are asking for God to help them with today. Closing Prayer: Loving God, help us understand your words and parables so that we may understand you better. Guide our ears, eyes, mouth, hands, and feet that we may engage in your mission in the world. Amen. Weeds Wheat
Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 24 He put before them another parable: The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; 25 but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. 26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. 27 And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from? 28 He answered, An enemy has done this. The slaves said to him, Then do you want us to go and gather them? 29 But he replied, No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. 30 Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn. 36 Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples approached him, saying, Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field. 37 He answered, The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; 38 the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40 Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, 42 and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen!! Written by The Rev. Shannon Kelly Printed by the Office for Formation and Vocation Ministries of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society, 815 Second Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10017. 2014 The Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America. All rights reserved.
Scripture: Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 Lesson Plans that Work Year A Season after Pentecost, Proper 11 Gospel Lesson for Adults In this season after Pentecost, we hear stories of Jesus ministry in the world and our call to engage in that mission. This season is also known as Ordinary Time coming from the word ordinal which means counted time. This time is not ordinary as in common or regular, but it is the time of counted weeks between Pentecost and Advent. The color for this season is green and it is often referred to as the green growing time as we hear stories of what God is calling us to do in the world, we join in that call, and we grow in our faith. A Notation for This Week s Gospel and Reading Jesus continues to engage in parables as he explores what the kingdom of God is like. The Gospel lesson for today focuses on the empire vs. God. The key message is that we are not to be the ones judging, but that it is God s judgment in the end that matters. We are to let things grow as they will and God will sort it out in the end. Theme: Wheat and Weeds Before Class: You will need two different translations of todays reading. Beginning: Invite everyone to gather and paraphrase for them the Notation for This Week s Gospel so they can understand what comes before this and that this parable is a response to Jesus being challenged. Opening Prayer: Loving God, we ask you to be with us as we explore what your words mean for our lives. Guide us as we seek to understand your parable today. Amen. The Scripture: Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 You will be reading the lesson today twice and will need two different readers. Think about having two very different voices read this such as male or female, young or old. Before reading the lesson the first time, invite people to listen for a word or phrase that stood out for them. Invite the first reader to read the lesson. After a few moments of silence, invite the group to say what word or phrase stood out for them. When you feel everyone has shared, invite the group to listen once more and to listen for what Jesus is saying to them. Invite the second reader to read the lesson. After a few moments of silence, invite the group to say what they heard Jesus saying to them. After everyone has shared, you can begin with the questions or go to the activity.
Questions: I wonder what this Gospel stirs in us? I wonder what questions this Gospel brings up for us? Speaking for yourself, think about the wheat and the weeds. Where have you found wheat, where have you found weeds in your life? How can wheat and weeds grow together in a healthy way? When has something that is both good and bad been growing in your life? What was that like? How did it turn out for you? Getting Closure: Invite them to share what stood out for them in our discussion today. Closing Prayer: Loving God, help us understand your words and parables so that we can hold onto the wheat and let go of the weeds when we harvest. Guide our ears, eyes, mouth, hands, and feet that we may engage in your mission in the world. Amen.
Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 24 He put before them another parable: The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; 25 but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. 26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. 27 And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from? 28 He answered, An enemy has done this. The slaves said to him, Then do you want us to go and gather them? 29 But he replied, No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. 30 Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn. 36 Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples approached him, saying, Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field. 37 He answered, The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; 38 the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40 Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, 42 and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen! Written by The Rev. Shannon Kelly Printed by the Office for Formation and Vocation Ministries of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society, 815 Second Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10017. 2014 The Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America. All rights reserved.